Moin!
I've got a question concerning the time of day. How do I translate the following three sentences correct?

1. It's quater past two.
2. It's quater to two.
3. It's half past two.

My book says it has to be:

1. Tá sé a ceathrú tar éis e dó.
2. Tá sé a ceathrú chun a dó.
3. Tá sé a leathuair tar éis a dó.

A course of the BBC says it has to be:

1. Tá sé ceathrú i ndiaidh a dó.
2. Tá sé ceathrú go dtí a dó.
3. Tá sé leath i ndiaidh a dó.

Wich one is correct? Or are both correct?

I took a class that taught Connemara Irish and we were told the first ones but if the second ones were on a BBC course I would think they might be Ulster Irish. I've heard both before so I'm pretty sure they're both correct but someone with better Irish will back me up or say what's correct I'm sure.

They're both basically right. It's just a little different word of expressing it.

like:

It's half past 6, or half after 6.....doesn't matter and no big deal.

I ndiaidh, "after", literally means "in the wake of something", and go dtí, before, literally means "before reaching somewhere". But apparently they are used in Ulster Irish where "tar éis" (literally "after the trace of") and chun (literally "towards") are used elsewhere. I don't think you need the "a" in the first set of examples. Tá sé leathuair/ceathrú tar éis a dó is just fine = not "a leathuair" or "a ceathrú".

Moin, moin.

I'd understand both, and have heard both.

I have heard both , but i use the second.

Dúirt David:

quote:

I don't think you need the [first] "a" in the first set of examples.

Is fíor sin. Ach níl sé mícheart ach oiread.